California IN BRIEF : OAKLAND : Man Gets 2 Terms--Prison, Marriage
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A judge sent a convicted killer-for-hire to prison, then stepped down from the bench to preside at his wedding. Jeffery Dee Gray was ordered to serve 15 years to life in prison Friday, then was married to Karen Vardanian before being led away to begin serving his sentence. Superior Court Judge Gordon Baranco, still wearing his black robes, conducted the brief civil ceremony as the couple’s friends and relatives took pictures. The couple were allowed an embrace and kisses. Gray was convicted of second-degree murder for killing a bail bondsman whose wife offered $20,000 for the 1983 slaying. The woman is serving a 15-year-to-life sentence.
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